Clayton Kershaw vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 as a pitcher; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) and Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 13 seasons. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg finished with 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Clayton Kershaw, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.
- How many innings did each pitch? Clayton Kershaw 2,855.1, Stephen Strasburg 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
Clayton Kershaw
Stephen Strasburg
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 62 |
| Games not scored | 455 | 247 |
| Games Started not scored | 451 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 25 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 2 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,855.1 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 9.62 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Stephen Strasburg 93,455 to 41,364 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,192 PIV per season to 3,182, across 18 seasons to 13. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Clayton Kershaw leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Stephen Strasburg leads 1: strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Clayton Kershaw and Stephen Strasburg careers compare
From 2010 through 2022, Clayton Kershaw and Stephen Strasburg were in the majors together. The table compares 455 games of Clayton Kershaw with 247 of Stephen Strasburg across 18 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Stephen Strasburg are strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 9.62). The per-nine rows read 9.62 strikeouts and 2.25 walks for Clayton Kershaw, 10.55 and 2.41 for Stephen Strasburg. Both had the same role: Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games); Stephen Strasburg was mainly a starter (247 starts in 247 games). Clayton Kershaw allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.02 WHIP to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.
Clayton Kershaw vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Stephen Strasburg in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.